Addressing Kisii county residents where he had gone to officially open Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital on Wednesday, February 20, Uhuru said public servants pushing for higher perks should put the interests of Kenyans first before their own.

“There is no money, and there will never be enough money for us to just keep pushing for salary increments every day...We need to grow the economy first before we can talk about salaries. Those asking for pay rise should not put their interests ahead of those of Kenyans,” the president said.

Uhuru referred the protesting nurses to a statement that was issued earlier by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) which had indicated there was no money to cater for the service and uniform allowances being demanded by nurses.

The president had earlier called on the health workers to return to work warning those who would not resume duty would be dismissed.

Addressing the press from State House, Nairobi, Uhuru warned any nurse who would not resume duty by Friday, February 15, 2019, at 8am would be sacked by both the county government and the Ministry of Health.

“We have jointly agreed that all nurses should resume duty not later than Friday, February 15, 2019, at 8am. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, I have also instructed National Police Service to take stern action on picketers who may intimidate public servants who intend to go to work,” he said.

The Kenya National Union of Nurses (KNUN), however, defied the president's directive and asked its members to stay put until their demands were met.

Following the union's directive, nurses from several counties continued with the strike despite the president's stern warning against the industrial action which crippled provision of health services in several public hospitals across the country.

Kenya National Union of Nurses Secretary General Seth Panyako had indicated nurses would go on with strike despite President Uhuru Kenyatta's return to work order. Photo: Hashtagsquare.Source: UGC

According to the KNUN boss Seth Panyako, it was only the union and not the president who could call off the strike which they argued was their constitutional right.

"The union shall not respond to the president's statement made today (February 13) at State House. While the union respects the president and his office, the law is clear and should be fair on both sides," Panyako said.

He said the health workers would only engage their employers who are the County Public Service boards of respective counties.

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